Breaking through

Friday

Jul 8, 2011 at 8:33 PMJul 8, 2011 at 8:39 PM

By KYLE GLASER, STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM • The first five years of Jason Vargas' big league career did not go particularly well.

The Apple Valley High graduate played on three different teams, missed all of 2008 with an injury, sported a career record of 9-14 with a 5.43 ERA in 54 games and had never spent a full season in the major leagues.

He landed with the Seattle Mariners in 2009 and took some positive steps forward in 2010, recording a 3.78 ERA in his first full season. But Vargas, 28, has taken his game to a completely different level this season.

"It's a learning experience," said Vargas, who is in Anaheim this week for a four-game series with the Angels but isn't scheduled to pitch. "I was in the big leagues at an early age (and) there are high expectations, but to look back and think that I was down and out is taking it a little too far. It's just been a learning process."

This season has been Vargas' coming out party, and he has established himself as not only a major league caliber starter, but a pretty darn good one.

So far Vargas is 6-6 with a career-low 3.49 ERA and has established career-bests in hits allowed per nine innings, walks allowed per nine innings and strikeout to walk ratio, and is on pace to surpass his career-high of nine wins.

Additionally, Vargas is getting better as the season goes on. In his seven starts since June 1, he has thrown three shutouts and one other complete game.

His three shutouts are tied for the American League lead, and his four complete games rank fourth. They were also the first three shutouts of his career, and he had thrown just one complete game prior to June.

Simply put, Vargas has been one of the best pitchers in baseball as of late.

There are two constant themes that come up when asking opposing hitters and coaches about what makes Vargas so effective: His command and his aggressiveness.

"He's got pretty good location, he never stays in one place," Angels outfielder Bobby Abreu said. "He can go inside, away, fastball, changeup, curve — he uses all his pitches. And he's not afraid, he comes right at you. You have to be aggressive, because he's going to throw strikes and challenge you right away. You can't be too patient with him, he's coming right at you."

Command has been one of the biggest factors in helping Vargas consistently go so deep into games. Vargas said he didn't change anything mechanically, although he did add a cutter to his repertoire and is throwing his curveball more than in previous years. He said he's just being more efficient and finding the strike zone more.

"He's been efficient, but he's been aggressive," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. "He's been aggressive in the zone to force early contact, and when you do that and you're pitching well you're going to go deep into ball games."

Vargas has thrown 66.2 percent of his pitches for strikes this season, about four percent better than the major league average. For comparison, he's recorded a higher strike percentage than his teammate and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez.

Vargas kept a positive outlook during bumps in his career, understanding that success would require hard work.

"It's not easy in this league. You can't just come here and be the best player in the game," Vargas said. "I don't think you really get to your full potential unless you've been knocked down and kind of get back up."

That mental balance was pointed out as a major part of his success by Wedge, who as a first-year manager did not see Vargas in years past but has been very impressed with him so far.

"He's on an even keel. He doesn't get too up or too down," Wedge said. "His emotions are under control and he trusts his stuff. It takes a combination of different things to have the type of year he's having."

Angels ace Jered Weaver was one of Vargas' teammates at Long Beach State as well as a good friend, and is greatly enjoying watching him develop.

"He's turned himself into a very good pitcher, that's for sure," Weaver said. "He's working that ball into righties and his changeup is filthy. It's pretty cool to see a close friend grow up and become a legit starter in the big leagues. It's pretty fun to watch."

At 28 years old Vargas is entering his prime. He's fought through some tough years, has established himself as a key component in one of the best rotations in baseball and looks like he's figured it out.

The former Sun Devil is having the best professional career of any pitcher to come out of the High Desert. Whether he can pass former Detroit Tigers All-Star first baseman and fellow Apple Valley graduate Jason Thompson as the best player period out of the High Desert, only time will tell.

But if the first half of 2011 is any indication, he's well on his way.

Kyle Glaser can be reached at kglaser@vvdailypress.com or (760) 951-6274.